Minnesota Republicans enlist new speaker for annual dinner after Ohio Senate candidate J.D. Vance bows out

J.D. Vance has faced some GOP condemnation over his recent comment on Ukraine.

March 18, 2022 at 11:31PM
J.D. Vance, a U.S. Senate candidate and author of “Hillbilly Elegy,” has canceled plans to speak at the Minnesota GOP’s annual Lincoln Reagan Dinner. (Jeffrey Dean, Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

U.S. Senate candidate and author J.D. Vance will no longer speak at the Minnesota Republican Party's annual Lincoln Reagan Dinner, with a state party official citing a scheduling conflict.

Vance's cancellation comes after he received criticism both inside and outside the party over a recent comment he made that seemed dismissive of Ukraine in its war with Russia.

Vance said last month on an episode of Steve Bannon's "War Room": "I don't really care what happens to Ukraine one way or another." Days later he issued a statement saying Russia's assault on Ukraine "is unquestionably a tragedy," but some Minnesota Republicans expressed concern with his previous remarks.

The Minnesota GOP posted on social media Wednesday that Matt Schlapp, chair of the American Conservative Union — the organization behind the Conservative Political Action Conference — will be the keynote speaker at the party's April 1 fundraiser.

"We are excited to have CPAC Chairman and author of 'The Desecrators' Matt Schlapp as our speaker and looking forward to a successful event!" Minnesota Republican Party Executive Director Mike Lonergan said in a statement. He added: "We look forward to hosting J.D. Vance when the schedule permits."

Vance, a venture capitalist and author of the bestselling memoir "Hillbilly Elegy," is running for the Ohio seat opened by GOP Sen. Rob Portman's retirement. His stop in Minnesota was planned while traveling around Ohio holding town hall events for his "No B.S. Tour."

about the writer

about the writer

Jessie Van Berkel

Reporter

Jessie Van Berkel is the Star Tribune’s social services reporter. She writes about Minnesota’s most vulnerable populations and the systems and policies that affect them. Topics she covers include disability services, mental health, addiction, poverty, elder care and child protection.

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